3 Gordon Hayward trades that would accelerate the Hornets' rebuild

The Hornets' next order of business should be finding a new home for Gordon Hayward and recouping as much value as possible. When healthy, Hayward can be a do-it-all Swiss Army Knife type player on both ends of the court, and should be a seamless fit for almost any contender.

But beyond his injury issues, Hayward comes with a $31.5 million expiring salary that must be matched by any acquiring team. These factors will certainly limit any potential return for the Hornets, but still, there are deals out there to be made that could help the Hornets rebuild, and frankly, getting almost anything in return for Hayward would be a big win at this point, before he hits free agency this summer.

So what would a realistic return for Hayward even look like? Here are three possible deals that would make sense for both teams:

76ers receive: Gordon Hayward

Hornets receive: Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, Jaden Springer, and two 2nd round picks

Hayward would be a great fit in Philly, where he could easily play alongside both Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, while being more of a focal point when either is off the floor. He’d be a major upgrade to their rotation. For the Hornets, they’d simply be taking on two expiring contracts instead of one in Morris and Covington. Neither one is engrained in Philly’s rotation and would come off the books for Charlotte after the season.

They’d get to take a flier on Springer, a 21-year-old combo-guard, and former late 1st round pick who has shown flashes on both ends. He hasn’t had much opportunity in Philly, but could be worth a look for the rebuilding Hornets. Obviously, the prize of this deal would be the two 2nd round picks - as pick accumulation should be the main priority in every Hornets deal.